Enigmatic Fate
by xRedxMoonx
Summary: Things are about to change in Neverland as an exciting, yet hazardous game begins. / As his back slammed against the ground and a dagger oscillated dangerously close to his throat, he found himself staring with wide eyes into the hateful glare of his captor. "Neverland never belonged exclusively to you, Peter Pan. But you've destroyed it, and I'm going to crush you in return."
1. The Prophecy

Important Note: First time writing a Once Upon a Time story, and I'm pretty excited about how this will turn out. This one is based on Peter Pan's character, its past and how he slowly changed into the boy we see afterwards. After watching the whole season in which he appeared, I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed about its finale. I think Peter Pan is one of the most lovable characters of Disney, and he doesn't deserve that kind of fate. So, I'm not going to change him (as it wouldn't be Peter Pan from OUAT, and I actually love his sass and smugness), but I'm giving him a past that can somehow explain why he became so wicked. Needless is to say then, Rumple isn't his son in this story. Moreover, Peter Pan will remain a kid the entire time.

I hope you like this short prologue!

 **PROLOGUE:**

The Prophecy

« _When the time comes that air turns toxic and ash rains from the sky, a vain act shall bring forth an age of chaos. And only when all hope is shattered shall a ray of light shine upon that world of darkness. When what's shrouded is revealed, a dead heart shall decide upon the fate of the realm to which it belongs , thereby digging it into a definitive oblivion or ushering in the forgotten dawn._ »

* * *

Once upon a time, there was a land where freedom knew no bonds, where time stood still and which lost children would visit when their minds fell into the deepest of darkness, when their imagination went wild and their dreams turned into reality. It was an island made for children, which was why adults tried to avoid any kind of contact with it. Wide woods permeated most of the realm, and only a tiny gap of ground remained untouched by the green trees, the place that children had always loved to visit. Joyful shouts could always be heard in the vicinity, and a warm bonfire would be set in the middle of the celebrations the Indians used to honour those children with. A deep ocean spread itself around the land, dwelling of the rarest creatures, some of them not very fond of the souls that dared to sail their waters. However, something more dangerous hid within the intricate island, something apparently innocent but far from it.

Her laugh echoed through the entire land, carefree and loud, yet her feet never made a sound as they stepped lightly on the green grass. Mermaids shared a deep affection for her and were frequently humoured by her visits, which were always related to mischievous ideas. She would come to them with the most alluring, wicked game whenever ignorant pirates –always guided by egoistical purposes– crossed the boundaries between her realm and the wild seas.

Ruler of her realm and ruler of the night, she had cream-coloured skin and wore green clothes to blend into the flower bush. She loved to twirl in circles, always did her best, and swam like a tiny fish in the lake near the willow tree, whose shadow helped her sleep. She was quite the trouble maker; pirates and adventurous souls would be tricked by her innocent grin while her hands in their pockets she sneaked. She knew how to have good manners but would always show them her spicy twist, and was so quick they couldn't see. She drank from puddles and ate berries from the bushes, within whose leaves she hid until her next target arrived. At night, running through the never-ending forest she could be found, her characteristic, mischievous grin always on as she led lost children to their new destination. She loved the company they offered her, but would not hesitate to put Tinkerbell before their incessant pleas, for a deep relationship had developed between the beautiful fairy and her.

Her name was Emery Red, and Neverland was her home.

-#-

 _"Peter Pan," she greeted, smile in place as usual. "It's been a while."_

 _Indeed it had; four years, no less. Truthfully, Emery hadn't expected to see him again, not after his last, short visit. It had been a painful thought, but she had come to realize that it was something that would eventually happen. It was bound to be that way; time had the annoying tendency to affect people who were not from Neverland._

 _Her brown eyes roamed his figure, immediately noticing the differences. He was taller and more muscular, and even though the face of the child she once shared adventures with remained almost the same, there were traces of maturity spread in his forest green eyes. She realized then what she had always feared most had acted on Peter Pan; he was no longer a child._

 _"You look older," she commented, almost casually. But there was no denying it, and Peter didn't need to stare at her for long to notice the grief that filled her brown gaze._

 _"I_ am _older, Em," he confirmed, and his lips twitched into a sad smile when the girl frowned._

 _"Why are you here?" Her voice was suddenly cold, harsher than ever. She was hurt, that much was evident, but Peter couldn't help but feel a bit offended; he had hoped to see her happy upon his arrival. "You're a grown up, Peter."_

 _"But I'm not yet," he argued. In fact, he was right, for he was still seventeen and, technically, still a teen._

 _"Why have you come," she demanded to know, leaving no room for argument._

 _"So long as I believe, I'll be able to come to Neverland," he quoted. "You once told me that."_

 _As though his words had touched her heart, her defensive stance dropped and Emery smiled slightly. Her eyes were shimmering with unseen tears, a sight that managed to break Peter's heart into a million pieces._

 _"And you'll always be welcome," she granted. "But that's not the real reason you're here."_

 _"What are you talking about?" Peter tried to feign ignorance, but it was to no avail._

 _Emery shook her head._

 _"You sometimes forget that I can read you," she reminded. "_ Literally _."_

 _There was something else he seemed to always forget about Emery Red as well: she was an adult trapped in the body of a child. Her soul was wise and old, permeated in years of experience._

 _Defeated, Peter sighed softly._

 _"I came to say goodbye," he confessed, unable to look into the pained eyes of the first –and only– friend he ever had._

 _A disappointed frown crept to her face then, and she looked utterly offended as she stared at him._

 _"Don't say goodbye," she began. "Because saying goodbye means going away, and going away means forgetting."_

 _Peter Pan was aware of it, but he swore upon himself to never forget about the land he once called home; the only place he would ever call home. With a smile that spoke the words he refused to say out loud, his spirit faded into the dark night._

 _"Goodbye, Emery Red."_

 _Heart shattered and soul cracked, Emery dropped to her knees. Silently, she closed her eyes and let her tired body lie flat on the cold path of grass._

 _That night, the biggest of clouds shielded the sky. That night, drops of water rained like bright stars upon the world of smiles. That night, every creature cowered in grief and mourned for the girl's despair._

 _That night, and for the first time in forever, Neverland cried._

 _"Until next time, Peter Pan."_

-#-

Night had fallen upon the wondrous world of Neverland, and the gleaming moon shone in the dark sky. Its bright light sneaked between the tall trees and illuminated the path of grass at their feet. In the middle of the island, a willow tree loomed over the rest in its full glory and splendour. There, hidden in the shadows that couldn't be reached by the glaring moon, a small girl lay. Soft snores came from her parted lips as she slept peacefully, without a care in the world.

The familiar sound of bells broke the comfortable silence that surrounded her, but she didn't even stir as the fairy crossed the air towards the big tree. Without making further noise, Tinkerbell landed gracefully on one of its strong branches and sat down. Her feet dangled over both sides as her green eyes stared tenderly at the girl below her. A small smile played on her lips, but it quickly faded when someone _graced_ her with their presence. As if on cue, the atmosphere grew colder and an almost palpable tension crashed over the area. The familiar frown the fairy used to wear crept to her pale features, and she would have growled in aggravation had she not cared about the small girl's sake.

"Tinkerbell, it's time," their dark voice echoed from behind her, and the consecutive chill it always provoked rolled up her spine.

Her lips pursed into a thin line as she averted her eyes from her protégé, only for them to drift towards Shadow.

"Remind me why I should listen to you again," she hissed hatefully, venom permeating her voice.

The shadow glared at her with its glowing eyes, returning the feeling of utter detestation with no hesitation. It flew dangerously close to her, as if trying to look menacing –which was easily accomplished.

"This is for Neverland's sake," it snarled. "I wouldn't be teaming up with you if circumstances didn't call for it, _fairy_."

"Neither would I, _shadow_ ," she bit back.

Then, the shadow floated over the girl for some seconds, and its scary eyes watched her as if it were surveying the situation. Some feet away, Tinkerbell fought against her instincts the best she could and tried to ignore the voice in her head that told her to attack that scum. Finally, Shadow raised in the air to stare into her glare.

"The boy is almost of age. His last visit was his last; even Red knew that," it hissed. "This needs to be done with no more delay."

"Is it wise, though? She is –"

"Its _Soul_ , indeed," Shadow finished. "But it's a risk we must take."

A defeated sigh slipped between her lips as she gave a short nod. Jumping off, the fairy flew graciously towards the sleeping girl before waving her pendant over her. Immediately, pixie dust wrapped around her frame like an embrace, and the girl began to rise from the comfortable ground she wouldn't touch for long years.

"Don't forget about the second part of the plan," the shadow pressed, as if to make sure Tinkerbell wouldn't back out in the last minute. "Her memories need to be removed until her return."

Tinkerbell growled in annoyance and sent another glare at it, before she began to lead the girl to the sky.

"Stop ordering me around, and make sure you bring the proper boy," she barked as she disappeared in the darkness of the night.

Tinkerbell crossed silently the cold air and headed towards her destination without looking back, not even once. Her green eyes were filled with remorse and concern, but it couldn't be helped. As the shadow had said, it had to be done; if not for Neverland's sake, for the girl's future. The prophecy that had crashed upon Neverland was still a mystery to be solved, but there was one thing Tinkerbell had been able to figure out: it spoke of the darkness that would assault that land over the years, of the future that awaited the creatures living there. But, most important to Tinkerbell, it showed the horrible fate that was in store for the girl that flew next to her.

She ventured to swear upon Neverland that something like that would never happen if she was still alive and could prevent it.

Thus, with that determined thought in mind, Tinkerbell took the girl away from her realm, from her home and from her current life. Soon enough, the wide ocean was left behind and another land came into view. Drunken people walked down the dirty streets, and she scrunched her nose in disgust at the sight. There was no way she would ever trust any of those men with her protégé; she did not want for her to end up roaming the streets, dressed in scanty robes, while she waited for some scrub to rub themselves on her. No; she knew nothing good would come from that. After casting one last repelled glance at them, Tinkerbell focused on her destination and hoped that it wouldn't take her much longer to reach it.

Much to her pleasure, the girl didn't stir nor did she seem to be disturbed in the least as they travelled. The fact didn't surprise the fairy, for she knew there were not many things that could shake her from her slumber; she had learned that much over time. To be honest, the silence that prevailed in Neverland whenever she felt asleep was enough to make every creature sigh out of relief. Not to blame any of them, though. While they all were rather fond of the girl's humour and vibrant personality, they did appreciate her silence, especially after having been hearing her loud giggles throughout the entire day. Nevertheless, as Tinkerbell laid her eyes on her rosy face, she was certain that the troublesome girl was going to be missed.

A familiar sight crossed her gaze and stopped her trail of thoughts, fortunately. In all honesty, Tinkerbell was not an emotional fairy, but the situation was gloomy enough to make her feel quite lost. Mentally shaking her head, she let the girl fall on her arms before approaching one of the few houses that stood in the surroundings. It was the perfect place for the kid; she was sure of it. As her feet hit the ground peacefully, she slipped one of her tiny hands into the pocket of her green clothes and pulled out a small vial. A heavy sigh escaped her before she could stop it, and Tinkerbell placed the girl on the grass. Slowly, she opened the vial. Blue coloured dust fell from it and floated the air; it wavered before the fairy's eyes as if asking for permission.

"Good luck, Emery," Tinkerbell whispered as the dust covered the girl and slipped through her clothes and skin. As though she was touched by the intense feelings of the fairy, she stirred quietly before she fell back into her own world of wondrous dreams. "I'm sure we will meet again soon enough."

No creature would speak about her when Peter Pan reached Neverland to start a new life, but the remembrance of the girl with the mischievous smile and the gleeful laugh would always prevail in their minds. Emery Red was, after all, the _Soul_.

There was no kiss goodbye, not even a soft caress before she flew off. She preferred it that way.

 _Because saying goodbye means going away, and going away means forgetting._


	2. When your feet don't touch the ground

CHAPTER ONE:

When Your Feet Don't Touch The Ground

 _"When your feet don't touch the earth, you can't feel the things that hurt._  
 _And you're free._  
 _There's no need to come down."_

* * *

 _A pair of eyelids fluttered open to let the sunlight hail the deep green orbs that hid behind, which scrunched in evident displeasure as the glaring rays burned into them. As if on cue, a relished shadow suddenly fell upon his face, concurrently concealing the solar disk. The silence that had been surrounding him broke into a million pieces when giggles rang from above him._

 _"Hello there," a feminine voice, permeated in mischief and excitement, spoke._

 _It was then, when the boy realized he was not in the dirty streets anymore; his back wasn't lying on the scratchy sheets he used to protect himself from the few glasses that always decorated the ground, his body wasn't as cold as ice and the revulsive smell of cigarettes and sweat didn't fill his senses. No, the beautiful sight that unfolded itself before him was far from that, remotely away from that miserable excuse of a town._

 _"Where am I?" The words slipped from his mouth almost on their own accord, for he was way too perplexed to think properly._

 _Another set of giggles responded him and managed to finally bring his attention to the presence that loomed over him, still yielding his face from the sun. Her eyes were of a light brown shade, like caramel, and she seemed to glow in her full glory as she grinned down at him. She didn't seem older than him, only way shorter; he had no doubt about that._

 _"State your name and business, worthless insect!" She repentantly demanded in the most menacing voice she could master._

 _And she really did a good job, as the boy outwardly looked as scared as one of those fishes she used to pursue in the lake near the willow tree. When he started to gape and resemble to them way too much, the girl decided to drop the act and burst out laughing._

 _"Your face is priceless," she commented after her laughter eventually came to a halt, much to the boy's pleasure. "It's was an amazing imitation of those annoying pirates, don't you think?"_

 _Something about the way she spoke, so confidently and prideful, told him nothing he would say would matter. The frown didn't leave his features as he brushed his clothes and was helped to his feet._

 _"You could say that you're sorry, at least," he grumbled while glancing_ down _at her still smiling face. His assumptions were confirmed; she was very short, to the point that her head only reached to his shoulders._

 _The girl merely shrugged and said, "We never apologize here."_

 _"I don't even know where_ here _is!" He yelled out of frustration, and then, as if a ray of light had shone upon his mind, he paused to stare at her with wide eyes. "Have you kidnapped me?"_

 _He could see how the girl bit down on her lip to stop the giggles from escaping and echoing in the air once again. Thankfully, she ended up shaking her head and no laughter broke out._

 _"Look at me." And she twirled in circles for good measure. "I am a kid, who doesn't even reach to grab a coconut and has to feed from the berries that hide in the bushes. Look at you." In the blink of an eye, her hands wrapped around his bigger ones, and the boy found himself repeating her movements swiftly. "You are way taller than me, not to say heavier. Do you think there's a slight chance that I could kidnap you? I don't think so."_

 _Put it that way, the boy could give her the benefit of the doubt; she had a point._

 _"But I was sleeping," he argued nonetheless._

 _"And you still are," she granted, before she started digging her feet into the sandy beach in which he had woken up some minutes ago. "Your body is resting, but your spirit is here. At least, that's what Tink says." He didn't bother to ask for some sort of more accurate explanation, for he was certain the girl would only keep ignoring every question thrown at her. "But I believe introductions are in order! Name's Emery Red, pleasure," she said loudly and bowed in mocked courtesy._

 _Knowing the adamant girl was waiting for a response, he could only copy her movements and salute the same way, "Peter of Hamelin, at your service."_

 _A pleased expression spread across her cream-colored cheeks, and the familiar glint of mischief in her eyes showed up again as she grinned gleefully._

 _"That's too long, though," she muttered, so lowly Peter was certain she was merely thinking out loud, talking to herself._

 _"It's my name."_

 _"I'll come up with something," she kept on, ignoring Peter completely and confirming his suspicions at the same time. Then, she clapped her hands together and grinned at him, every trace of trouble gone from her face. "Now, onto your business here."_

 _Peter sighed exasperatedly; he was starting to grow incredibly exhausted by her constant mood swings._

 _"I don't have any business here–wherever it is," he stated. "I was merely –"_

 _"Sleeping; correct," Emery interrupted, nodding to herself. "But this is no mere land; you must have a purpose if you've travelled to this island. In many cases, children come in search of freedom, something that I believe can only be found here; that is the most common purpose. Now tell me, Peter, what is yours?"_

 _And just like that, Peter began to rummage in his mind in search of something that could explain what the girl was talking about; the reason behind his visit. He travelled back to his hometown, to the place where no one knew his name, where no soul did care for him. To be honest, he had never minded any of those facts, for he had never been blessed with a family to miss. However, the deepest part of his lonely heart yearned for something that couldn't be given to him in Hamelin, something he would try to find in that exotic island. Thus, as he set his eyes in the green woods that spread before him, an eager smile crept to his dirty features._

 _"I want a start over, I want to find something worth fighting for, I want to be remembered," he cited, enticing Emery to give him a stare of wonder. "I want to lose myself."_

 _The corner of her lips curled up at that; she was clearly satisfied with his answer._

 _"Let me turn you into a Lost Boy, Peter of Hamelin," she said with a wink, before she took off into the forest. "And welcome to Neverland!"_

-#-

The soft breeze of the morning slipped between the large curtains and into the wide room, touching everything with its light caress. The sound of birds chirping worked its way inside as well, but was not enough to wake the girl, who was peacefully lying in a mess of sheets. She kept on sleeping soundlessly, her features calm and a content smile plastered on her lips. It seemed nothing would ever be able to take her away from the world she travelled to whenever she fell into slumber, and the girl actually wished for such thought to be true.

But, all of sudden, the girl stirred. An annoyed groan left her parted lips as she rolled onto her back to glare at the high ceiling. Bloody Snow White was singing again, as every morning ever since she was taken into the castle, which had happened right after the murder of her parents. Exactly three years of growing frustration towards the Queen. While most people found her voice melodic and calming to their hearts, the girl had always been tormented by the intense feeling hidden in her songs. The voice of Snow White was tainted in joviality and contentment, the ones that came from the love she received from her family and friends; both things she didn't have.

"Emery!"

Well, if there was something worse than listening to Snow's voice every morning, it would be Prince Charming himself. His shouts were easily heard by every creature nearby, and he banged on the door just in case someone in the kingdom was still peacefully sleeping.

"I'm naked!" Emery lied as her brown eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"O-oh, I'm sorry," was his quick response, and he sounded so embarrassed upon his pertinacious imposition that Emery had to cover her mouth with the sheets to prevent her laugh from echoing through the entire room. "I thought you were still sleeping."

 _As if I could with you shouting all around the palace_ , she thought bitterly.

"And I thought you were leaving for the Northern Mountains," she replied, her voice calmer, before she threw the covers off her body and moved out of the bed. Her feet hit the cold floor without making a single sound, and she stretched while a yawn escaped her mouth. "Wasn't there some _evil_ man you ironically wanted to ask for help?"

There was a pause, and for a second Emery thought the Prince had left.

"There is," he confirmed her words. "Just thought I'd bid you goodbye before my departure."

"I hate goodbyes, you know that very well," Emery snapped, angry for some unknown reason. Sighing, she added, "I'll see you soon."

"Hopefully, it won't be through the wood of a door." His footsteps began to fade into the distance until silence surrounded the room once again.

With a careless shrug, she made her way towards the wardrobe and opened it effortlessly, only for a disgusted grimace to form on her face when her eyes landed upon the amount of colourful dresses perched inside. Grunting, the young teen slammed the doors close and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Sometimes I just wished you could lend me some of your clothes; they surely seem more comfortable than any of these bloody dresses," she said out loud, biting down on her lower lip afterwards.

The familiar sound of bells echoed in the air before a small being stomped on her face. Tiny feet hit both of her flushed cheeks as a surprisingly strong hand grabbed onto her brown hair. The fairy gave her a disapproving, long look and ignored the pained yelp coming from the girl.

"You should feel grateful about the life that has been given to you," the petit being said sternly, sounding much more motherly than Snow White –who pointlessly keep trying to convince her to accept her as the mother she would never be to her. "This is a second opportunity for a fresh start."

"I do not wish for another chance, let alone for a new beginning," Emery argued and scrunched her eyes in anger when the fairy kicked her with her small foot. "Tinkerbell, stop pulling at my hair!" She ordered as she took the fairy by the back of her green clothes and held her up with two fingers.

"Emery," Tinkerbell scolded when the teen began to pace around the room, looking beyond angry.

However, as soon as her brown gaze crashed with the green one of the fairy, her shoulders dropped in defeat and she sighed in exasperation. She ran a hand through her messy hair before sitting down at the boudoir, finally giving into Tinkerbell's plea. For some reason Emery held no knowledge of, she had always found herself unable to start a serious argument with the fairy; there was something in the way her green eyes looked at her, something the girl didn't quite comprehend.

"Help me out, will you?" Emery called, for she was certainly having trouble at combing her hair, as usual. Honestly, she hated doing so. She felt way better when it was down, when there was nothing holding it back; when it was _free_. But, as the princess the royalty was trying to turn her into, she _must_ do as told and not let her wild mess of hair fly around or get into her face. "Thank you, I guess," she muttered as soon as Tinkerbell was done braiding it.

Even combed by her beloved friend, Emery glared in hatred at the braid before turning towards the wardrobe and pulling out the simplest dress she found.

"I heard a feast is being held tonight," the fairy commented casually as she floated in front of the boudoir and stared at her reflection in vanity.

"Don't remind me," Emery grumbled. "Snow will have me dancing with every man she lays her eyes upon, _until I find myself in the arms of my true love_ ," she mocked the words Snow had said to her the day before.

"Good luck with that," Tinkerbell mumbled, most likely to herself, but Emery heard her nonetheless.

"That's what I told her!" She exclaimed, oblivious to the fact that Tinkerbell was referring herself to something entirely different. "I am sixteen and have still much to live; I won't get attached to someone just yet, not because of some bloody nonsense about true love," she babbled on, and then, a mischievous smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Besides, I've found something more intriguing."

There it was; the naughty side of Emery Red she had missed so much, a trait of her that came to life less frequently than expected. And for that, Tinkerbell blamed Snow White and his prince, along with the rest of the court that dwelled in the castle; their good hearts were too noble for someone as rebellious and wild as Emery. However, Tinkerbell was certain that she was better there than anywhere else –aside from her original realm, obviously.

"It's a tad painful, but rather interesting," Emery informed and laughed out loud at the weird stare she received in response. "Watch."

The girl inhaled deeply, closed her eyes and, before Tinkerbell could rush over to stop her, stuck her hand into her chest. A gasp escaped her, and her eyelids snapped open just in time to catch the fear flaring in her green orbs. Brushing her off, Emery pulled her hand out and gave out a sigh of noticeable relief.

"It's all right, Tink," she tried to soothe, but the fairy's attention had been completely absorbed by the red item that lay on the girl's hand. Slowly, Tinkerbell approached her, until she was almost touching the beating heart with her nose. "Haven't seen a heart before?" Emery joked.

"Where did you learn to do this?" Her voice was harsh, snappy.

Emery frowned, all traces of enthusiasm gone.

"Why are you so upset about it? It's not like I'm going to crush it," she snapped, evidently offended by her friend; she had expected her to be a bit excited, at least. Tinkerbell merely sent her a look that left no room for argument and crossed her tiny arms over her flat chest. "I read about it… in a book."

Tinkerbell arched an eyebrow and said in a drawl, "Really?" It was quite evident that she was seeing straight through her lie, and Emery could only sigh in exasperation. "Who taught you?"

"It's beautiful though, isn't it?" The girl commented casually, avoiding any kind of contact with the fairy as she stared at her heart.

"It's pure," Tinkerbell granted, still visibly annoyed by her lack of answers.

However, Emery wasn't one to keep things to herself for that long, not when her pride stepped in the way. Thus, when the compliment reached her, she smiled smugly and said, "That sorcerer said exactly the same."

"A sorcerer?!" Tinkerbell couldn't believe her ears. In fact, what she couldn't believe was that Emery had trusted herself in the hands of a wizard in order to learn magic. Yet, the more she thought about it, the less strange it became. Even so, a sick feeling began to grow in the pit of her stomach, and she hoped to be wrong about the identity of said wizard. "What is his name, Emery?"

But her prayers crumbled at her feet when the girl spoke.

"I don't think I can say it without biting my tongue," she chuckled. "Rumpelstkin, or something like that."

In a low, angry mutter, Tinkerbell corrected, "Rumpelstiltskin."

Emery snapped her fingers.

"That's it," she exclaimed. "He volunteered to help me, said I possess very powerful magic and needed to be taught how to use it properly."

How the girl had managed to cross paths with someone like him was beyond her, but if what she spoke about was right, Tinkerbell became greatly wary. She herself had seen it through her eyes how the sorcerer never did anything without asking for something of value in return.

"Emery, what did he request of you?"

Shock replaced her suspicion when the girl merely shrugged and said, "He just wanted to have a look at my heart."

-#-

A pair of calculating, mischievous eyes followed the girl as she tried to push her way out of the salon with some obvious difficulties. _He_ hid in the shadows provided by the night and watched in curiosity through one of the glassy windows located in the spacious room. Amused chuckles escaped his lips as her slender body slipped between the crowd of men and women, who were still dancing to the slow rhythm of the music, and bumped into some of them in the process. After a while, though, the girl grew tired of apologizing and merely kept on walking through the mass of bodies. There was an annoyed frown plastered on her cream-colored features, and her lips were pursed into a disgusted grimace, which would become more noticeable whenever a man stopped her to ask her for yet another dance. She, as expected, would deny any offer with no more than a side-way glance that clearly said "in your dreams".

Honestly, it was one of the most comical situations he –whose forest green eyes glowed in the deepest of darkness– had seen her stuck into. Her hands gripped the fabric of the blue dress tightly, her knuckles white and giving the impression she was about to tear the cloth apart. Everybody who spared her a glance would notice the evident discomfort spread across every inch of her –from her furrowed features to the brief sway on her feet–. However, much to her satisfaction, she went unnoticed for _most_ of the way.

"Emery."

The girl couldn't stop the frustrated groan from escaping her lips when the stern voice of her adoptive mother reached her. Plastering a fake smile on her face, she turned around to greet Snow White.

"I'm honoured," she commented flatly. "One would think you wouldn't have time to spare, being so famous, _royal_ and all."

The features of the woman narrowed slightly at her bluntness, and Snow looked utterly unpleased by her attitude.

"Stop acting this way, Emery," she spoke firmly. "I know you're not like this."

A wicked glint shone in her brown eyes then, and her lips tugged into a snarl as she lowered her voice into one that managed to put the raven locks of Snow on end.

"You know nothing about me," Emery hissed. Then, all of sudden, any trace of malice was gone and a weak smile replaced the snarl on her mouth. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I'm afraid I am just very tired, and exhaustion has finally gotten to me."

Even though her apology seemed truthful, Snow remained wary.

"I understand," she replied. "You've been dancing throughout the night."

Emery successfully bit back a sarcastic comment, which would have led her nowhere, and asked softly, "May I retire to my room?"

Fortunately, Snow White didn't deny her petition and let her abandon the ball. Without sparing another glance at her surroundings, Emery fled and rushed to her quarters. Her heels clattered loudly as she climbed the stairs, and the noise caused her to grimace; she had always hated to make sounds while walking, for she felt she was being tracked. In fact, had she paused to listen to her surroundings, she would have most likely realized that, indeed, she was being followed. But she was way too focused on getting as far from the music and loudness as possible, and instead continued to run towards her room.

Only when the safety provided by its four walls, and the door was slammed shut did Emery stop to take a deep breath. One quick glance around assured her of the absence of the fairy, who –she ventured to bet– would be meters away from there. It would be a matter of time before Tinkerbell flew through the open window, fuming in anger.

"Like I care," she muttered under her breath.

The same forest green eyes that had been observing her ever since she had stepped into the salon followed her as she moved to the huge bed. They watched, amused, as she took the heels and angrily threw them across the room, before she wildly began to pull on the tiepins attached to her brown hair.

 _Now, that's more like it_ , he thought, evidently pleased.

A relieved sigh left her lips when the ribbons dropped to the floor and her hair was free of their hold, and she ran her fingers through the locks. Unfortunately for her, the following step wasn't so easy to accomplish. She tried to take her dress off, but as much as her hands pulled and tugged on the long sleeves, it soon became evident that it was a pointless effort. Thus, after letting out a frustrated scream, Emery sat down on the bed and crossed her arms over her chest.

A chuckle reverberated in the air.

"That was not very ladylike," a masculine, familiar voice broke the silence.

Emery was immediately on her feet, her hand clutching a dagger, whose sharp edge reflected the bright light of the moon. Her eyes squinted through the shadows of the room in search of the owner of the voice, but what she didn't expect was for someone to appear out of nowhere in front of her.

"Boo."

Out of instinct, Emery thrusted the dagger towards the stranger. However, her wrist was caught mid-step and the item only managed to puncture the front of the green shirt they wore.

"Nice reflexes," _he_ complimented.

The lights flickered on almost magically, and Emery's assumptions were instantly confirmed. An easy smile was drawn on his lips and an enthusiastic glint glowed in his forest green eyes. The boy was no much older than her, but his face showed little sign of the innocence held by an ordinary teen. Not that Emery did, anyway; her façade was sharply sculpted and displayed the strong, cunning character that breathed inside. Her brown gaze held no mercy, yet shades of playfulness always gleamed in it.

Her lips stretched into a grin at the same time that she was released.

"I wasn't expecting you tonight," she confessed.

"I would never miss you trying to escape from all those men," he chuckled, amused, at the frown that appeared on her face.

"You're an ass, Peter Pan."

The boy laughed, not faced by her insult; in fact, he seemed pleased.

"No need for compliments, Emery." He waved a hand in the air. "So, have you found the so called _true love_ that woman won't stop talking about?"

Emery shook her head, "No one seemed interesting enough," she said. "They all are too refined." She looked at him and frowned. "You're doing it again, Peter."

"Doing what?"

"Flying – do you not notice when your feet don't touch the ground?" Emery sighed out of frustration; she couldn't remember how many times she had wished to do the same, and then there was Peter Pan, floating so easily that she couldn't help the jealousy from growing in her heart.

"So, you're telling me that you're looking for someone interesting," he drawled, almost as if he were talking to himself, as he _sat_ in the air. Then, he smirked mischievously. "Do I seem intriguing enough to you?"

Emery stared at him blankly for some seconds, before replying, "Don't be so full of yourself. Besides, I'm looking for no man, though everyone seems unable to understand that."

Laughter responded her, and Peter Pan rolled over in the air in delight.

Emery huffed and rolled her eyes, but said no more; instead, she turned around and jumped on the sheets. Her eyes drifted then towards Peter, who was carelessly floating around the room and rummaging through her things.

Aside from Tinkerbell, that boy was the closest thing to a family she had for the moment being, and thus she treasured him heartily. Just like the relationship she shared with the fairy, the roots of their friendship could be traced back to her infancy, when a twelve-year-old Emery could be seen, staring helplessly out of the only window of the house. By then, she lived in the outskirts of the kingdom, near the river that embraced the entire land. The family that had raised her until then wasn't a rich one, and therefore, their lives were devoted to the labours in the crops. It wasn't easy, but it was a life she would much rather keep living instead of being surrounded by so many luxury and exuberance.

She remembered that, one day like any other, Emery had found herself staring into the night sky, tracing paths over the bright stars with her eyes. And, before she could see him coming, Peter Pan was standing in front of her. The same way he was now flying around in search of something that could pick up his interest, the boy had opened wardrobes and poked behind the bed until finally turning towards her speechless face. The remembrance of the smile he wore that cold night was still fresh in her mind, for it was the sweetest she had ever seen.

"What news adventures have you gotten yourself into, Peter?" Emery asked, a content smile on her lips as she reluctantly pushed those memories to the back of her mind in order to focus on the moment.

Peter Pan flew over and flopped peacefully in front of her. There was an excited expression decorating his dirty features as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"But first, do something about this," she quickly added, pointing to the uncomfortable dress she still wore.

Peter arched a brow at the demand, but shrugged it off and complied, twirling a hand in the air. Magically, the blue cloth was replaced by a more suitable nightgown, soft to the touch and of a beautiful shade of green –her favourite one. Then, as she closed her eyes like she usually did, Peter jumped into the tale of his newest adventure. And, as the ball continued some floors below, the voice of Peter Pan led her to Neverland, where she soon found herself battling against _brainless_ pirates and swimming with the _malicious_ mermaids.

-#-

The wind blew furiously outside the huge castle, silencing their light footsteps as the person forced their way into the wild night. A cloak hid them from the curious stare of the moon, but some blond locks could be seen as the angry breeze pushed against the thin hood. They walked at a fast pace, not bothering to glance around and determined to reach their destination as soon as possible. The woods were dark and quiet, giving the impression something watched from far, something hidden in the shadows. The path of dirt at their feet made complaining sounds as they stepped on it, crushing the leaves that had fallen from the trees into dust.

"Now, this is unexpected. It is not every day that a fairy is seen, walking down these paths in human form."

It was a voice permeated in amusement, darkness and pure malice. The cloaked figure halted, looked for its owner and turned around to face them. Tinkerbell pulled back the hood to let the strange –yet well-known– sorcerer see her pale features, darkened under the shadows in the forest.

"What can I do for you, dearie?" The sorcerer stepped forward, his mouth crooked into a wicked smile and his golden skin shining slightly.

"I want to offer you a deal," she stated, before adding, "Rumpelstiltskin."


	3. Above the Clouds

CHAPTER TWO:

Above the Clouds  


 _"Running 'round pretending life's a play;_  
 _it doesn't make the darkness go away."_

It had been some days after the ball, when Charming lightly pushed on the huge doors to the chamber he shared with his wife, Snow White, and silently slid inside. The room was expectedly quiet, and a welcoming feeling of peace permeated the atmosphere as he carefully tiptoed to the two-sized bed. No light illuminated the wooden path he walked down, but occasionally, a thin scrap of moonlight would peak through the dark clouds that cloaked the night sky; thus allowing the prince to sneak a glance at his surroundings and quickly move sideways to avoid hitting one of the many pieces of furniture in the room. Nevertheless, not even the brightest of lights would have prevented this from happening, and a hissed curse escaped his lips when his tight collided with the sharp corner of a table.

Before he could do something else, the sound of his wife moving beneath the sheets of the bed caused him to freeze. He stood there, one leg slightly lifted in the air, eyes wide as he silently prayed for Snow to be still asleep. However, his balance proved to be worse than his sneaking aptitudes. He swayed on his foot, and his hands automatically looked for support in the closest thing at reach, which happened to be the blue curtains that hung at both sides of the closed window. Soon enough, Charming found himself slipping ungraciously before finally falling on his butt.

"Charming?" The soft, sleepy voice of Snow broke the already-shattered-silence.

He groaned; both because he had woken up his wife, and also due to the waves of pain coming from his hindquarters. As he stood from the floor, he mumbled a small, sheepish greeting. Fortunately, Snow decided to spare him the torment and lit the candle placed on the bedside table.

"I wasn't expecting you until morning," she confessed, a suspicious frown settled on her pale features. One of her hands ran through the long, raven locks of her hair as she yawned and tried to rub the sleep away from her watery eyes. "Did everything go as expected?"

Charming glanced at her from the corner of his eye as he changed, his rotten clothes soon replaced by the soft fabric of his night ones. He seemed to think for a moment, refusing to look at Snow and letting out a barely audible sigh, before he turned towards her and walked over to the huge bed.

"Yes, of course," he smiled tightly, but winced when the disapproving stare of his wife fell upon him. Knowing she wasn't buying his lie, the prince heaved a defeated sigh. "I _did_ request his advice."

Snow's brown gaze followed him as he sat down next to her and leaned his back against the header of the bed.

"And?" she pressed. "Is there something we can do to stop Regina's curse?" When Charming hesitated, the woman narrowed her eyes; she finally understood why her husband seemed to be so reluctant to answer her questions, beating around the bush instead of jumping straight to the point as he usually did. "Charming, what have you done?"

"I asked for advice; that much I can assure you of!" the man insisted, but Snow merely arched an eyebrow. "You heard the prophecy, Snow; I could not ignore that."

A gasp escaped her lips, and the way her face contorted into an expression of utter rage reminded him of the day they met, so many months ago. Her eyes hardened as she glared at him, her pink lips pursed into an unamused frown.

" _Please_ , tell me that you haven't gone to that _cruel_ being for advice on Emery," she spoke lowly, her voice filled with anger and indignation.

"I can't," Charming sighed, only causing Snow's frown to deepen. "How can you expect me to find something to reverse the curse when a dark prophecy threatens to destroy everything we've built?"

"Dark prophecy or not, she is still a child!" Snow whispered sharply; the rational part of her mind warned her not to wake the entire palace, yet she couldn't stop her voice from growing louder. "She has a long path waiting for her; we don't know where it will lead her."

"Which is why I haven't done anything _yet_ ," the man interrupted, casting a pointed look at her. "But the possibilities of her turning e-"

"She won't," Snow stopped him from speaking the word; she had always dreaded it, and hearing it referred to Emery felt like a punch in her stomach. "We won't let her."

Her voice came out as a whisper, but the determination it held was almost palpable. Snow White was a strong woman, and the fact that she kept having faith after facing so many dangers and threats brought a smile to his lips.

"We will show her the beauty of light," she assured, allowing her lips to stretch into an encouraging smile as well. "She shall not know darkness."

" _Something_ shall _drag her to the awaiting darkness_ , _thus_ _bringing forth an age of desolation_ ," he quoted the words of the feared prophecy. "I'm afraid it's not in our hands, Snow."

The smile on her lips disappeared and a discontent expression appeared on her face.

"When we decided to take her in, to make her part of our family, we swore upon our lives that we would never give up on her; that no matter what, we would do whatever was necessary to help her through any hurdle," she said, determined not to let him win the argument. "And that is what we'll do. No prophecy is going to decide our destiny; we shall write our own future."

-#-

Meanwhile, some floors away from the royal couple's room, a very different scene was taking place. Laughter exploded within the four walls as Emery frowned in annoyance, her brown eyes hard and arms crossed over her chest. After failing to make him uncomfortable under her glare, she drifted her attention to the clothes covering her body.

"You've done it this time, Peter Pan," she growled, which only earned her more amused chuckles from the boy before her. Momentarily ignoring him, she glared holes into the brown _dress_ she wore. It was so long that her bare toes were completely hidden from sight, and she feared that, were she to take a step forward, she would trip over the tight fabric. "I look like a bloody tree!"

Peter merely grinned.

"And that's the point, little bush!" He placed a hand over her head and ruffled the green leaves that decorated its top.

"I'm not little anymore, Peter," Emery deadpanned, staring blankly at him. "Nor am I short."

And, honestly, it was true; her nose reached to touch his chin. Truthfully, it was curious –not to say shocking– how she had grown up so much in that short amount of time. Peter could still remember the first time they met, and he wouldn't have thought about her –ironically– appreciable physical transformation had she not mentioned it.

 _Peter stared with wide eyes at the girl in front of him as she grinned_ down _at him. As her small frame floated the air, he found himself unable to utter a word, his mouth agape. Emery could see the emotions fighting in his green eyes and was pleased to catch a glimpse of eagerness hiding behind the sea of confusion and stupor. And, just because she loved to show off, she twirled in circles, smile always on. As soon as his shock faded, Peter watched in amazement as she flew towards the bluest sky before falling backwards and coming to a stop._

 _Her short, brown hair swayed to the soft breeze of the morning as she –once again– grinned down at him, a set of white teeth almost shinning upon the long shadows provided by the tree on whose branch she sat. Her caramel eyes sparkled in mischief, and amused mock were drawn on her dirty features._

 _"Come on, Peter! If someone as short as me is able to climb a tree, you won't have a problem," she encouraged in a mocking voice, her legs daggling over the edge of the branch as she gripped onto it with shocking causality._

 _As Peter gave her a long, unimpressed stare, he answered, "Someone as tiny as you wouldn't have been able to had they tried to_ actually _climb a tree, little bush."_

 _"What's with that nickname?" Emery frowned, displeased. "I do not approve it."_

 _A satisfied grin formed on his face at her discomfort. "Good, I'll call you that from now on."_

 _The girl pouted, her lips pursed into a disappointed expression, before she rolled her eyes and_ flew _to the ground. "You are no fun." Then, she smirked. "Don't you want to join me?" Her mischievous voice pierced the silence, loud and full of life. "All you need is faith, trust and…"_

 _Peter was caught off guard when the girl suddenly rushed to him, hands behind her back. However, before he could react and take a step back, Emery pulled something from her pocket and blew it in his face. As he coughed loudly and tried to get the dust away from his nose, her amused laugh echoed all around him._

 _"What was that?!" he demanded to know after he finally recovered, his eyes glaring at her as she rolled over in the air._

 _Emery turned towards him and winked playfully, before saying, "A little bit of pixie dust."_

Chuckles brought him back to present day, sneaking through his most beloved memories like a ray of sunlight. Had he not feel his bones being oppressed by tight clothes, Peter Pan would have thought it to be part of his thoughts, memories of the same girl, only different in age from the one standing before him. Her eyes seemed to shine under the tenuous light provided by the couple of brown candles resting on the bedside table, and her lips were stretched into an amused grin as occasional chuckles slipped out.

His features flustered considerably when he sneaked a glance at the tall mirror at his left.

"Was the crown necessary?" he groaned, torn between annoyed and amused.

"Of course, you are the _princess_ of Neverland," Emery teased with a smirk. However, a frown crept up to her face when the boy remained quiet, seemingly frozen in his spot as he stared at her with slight wide eyes. "What?"

But the boy waved away her questioning stare and began to imitate Snow White's dancing movements, tiptoeing around the room and swirling wildly so fast he tripped over the end of the pink dress and fell flat on his face.

As both teens resumed their teasing, Tinkerbell frowned. From her spot sitting on the bedside table, she had been silently observing the interactions between the two and, as the vigilant fairy she had grown to become over the years living in Neverland, she hadn't missed the look of hesitation in the boy's gaze.

And, just by that expression, Tinkerbell was certain she would've to have a serious conversation with the _king_ of Neverland.

-#-

The next morning, the unexpected happened.

Dark green trees rushed by as the carriage strolled down the path of fallen leaves, heading who-knew-where. Silence prevailed inside, looming over their heads like a thick wave of awkwardness and was only interrupted by the frequent, exasperated sighs coming from the girl. Leaning her chin on the palm of her hand, Emery stared boringly out of the small window, a blank expression in her eyes.

"Is there a reason why you've decided to take me with you on this _beautiful_ day?" she asked in a drawl as she leaned back on her seat to cast a glance at the woman in front of her.

Snow White smiled.

"It has been long since the last time we had fun outside the castle," she spoke softly, and Emery couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"Well, this is certainly _enjoyable_ ; I'm having the time of my life."

Snow frowned, unamused, before calling out for the coachman to stop the carriage. A look of utter bewilderment crossed the girl's features as her eyebrows shot up, before her lips stretched into a pleased smile as she quickly followed the woman out.

Standing in front of Snow White, her eyes sparkling with excitement, Emery nodded in approbation.

"Now, this is another story," she commented as the woman mounted one of the two horses that were carrying the carriage.

Evidently pleased with herself after managing to break Emery's stony façade, Snow White smirked and said, "Are you going to stand there all day?" before galloping away.

As the sound of her carefree laugh reached her ears, Snow was unable to hide her contentment.

 _She shall not know darkness_.

Little did she know, she was leading Emery straight to it.


	4. In the world turned upside down

CHAPTER THREE:

If the world turned upside down

 _"When the inner voice of reason's full of doubt,_

 _what's the point in fitting in_

 _if you're designed to stand out."_

The red heart lay within her hands, beating at a frenetic pace and speeding up as seconds passed by. She stared down at it, seemingly admiring it; her eyes pierced through it like needles. A deafening silence surrounded the woods; the happy chirp of the birds had faded into the distance, as if the joyful creatures had felt an unknown darkness approaching.

Snow White stood some feet away, features contorted into an expression of utter horror at the sight of the girl gripping the heart in her small hand while its owner fell with a _thud_ behind her. She stared in shock as the events replayed in her mind; she couldn't begin to comprehend why a simple walk in the woods had turned into a nightmare. The bandits surely were just as surprised, and as their leader lay on the ground, they started to retreat.

"Don't."

Her voice was cold as ice, her brown eyes narrowed into slits. Emery gave the men a warning glance, daring them to move again, before she looked down at their leader.

"P-please, don't kill me," he begged, stuttered madly and never taking his attention off of the innocent-looking girl. "I-I'll do anything! But –"

"Shut up."

The man complied, gulped loudly and pleaded again.

"You would've killed us," Emery reminded, her eyes focused again on the red thing in her hand.

"I wouldn't!"

Her lips turned upwards into a mocking smile.

"Of course you wouldn't; you're too weak. But I'm not." The heart crumbled to dust in less than a second before she turned around to face the rest of men, not sparing the now-dead bandit another glace. "This is what will happen to any of you who dare stepping into these woods again; you have been warned."

As they scrambled away like dogs with their tails between their legs, Emery approached the woman who had yet to stand up. She bent down to her level and offered her a small smile.

But Snow flinched in return, and the expression on her face was vivid enough for the girl to take a step away. A frown crept up to her forehead as she observed the Queen of the Enchanted Forest, who suddenly refused to look at her.

 _She's scared of me_ , Emery realized.

"Why, Emery?" Snow asked in a whisper. "You've killed a man."

"I _have_ saved you," the girl exclaimed, unable to believe she was being scolded. "Why are you acting like I've done something wrong?!"

This time, Snow _did_ look at her.

"Killing is _not_ right!" she shouted.

"What about self-defence?"

"That was not self-defence, Emery," Snow said sternly. "You tortured him." Her hands flew to her mouth, as if she suddenly became aware of the fact. "Oh my God, Emery; you tortured him."

Emery narrowed her gaze.

"He deserved it." _He deserved way more_.

Tears swelled in the dark eyes of Snow White, and she shook her head and sighed in defeat.

"We should head back."

The girl scoffed angrily, but no more words were exchanged on the way to the castle.

Far, far from the scenery, a black, high castle rose between the mountains that separated Snowhite's kingdom from everything else. Surrounded by a halo of mystery and danger, its towers reached up to the grey clouds. Guards dressed in black clothes marched inside, patrolling and waiting for orders to fall upon them. Silence prevailed in the imposing palace, only shattered by the sporadic screams of pain of the prisoners kept in the dudgeons.

Down one of the large corridors, an intimidating woman walked –heading her chamber. Her eyes were black as the night, resembling to the demon that seemed to guide her evil heart, her lips red and pursed into a snarl of disgust. She suddenly halted; something had caught her attention. After sending a quick glance out of one of the huge windows, she resumed her stroll and stepped into her room. With determined steps, she strode towards the boudoir that stood close to the highest window of the castle –which led to a large balcony– and sat down. Then, she reached down, opened one of its drawers and pulled out a crystal ball.

"Such black magic… Where are you coming from?" Regina muttered with a sickening smirk.

-#-

Emery stormed into her room and slammed the door shut behind her, not really caring about consequences. But, as the scolding voice of Charming echoed in the building, she let out a frustrated scream and took her anger on the first thing she laid eyes upon. The chair flew towards the opposite wall, smashing into pieces as it crashed into it.

As she kicked and screamed, her anger eventually turned into exhaustion and she let her body flop on the unmade bed. Her eyelids closed and a tired sigh escaped her mouth, before a wave of warm breeze brushed her face.

"What's gotten into you?"

A concerned Peter Pan greeted her sight when she opened her eyes, floating above her like a cloud. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his head slightly titled as he observed her with narrowed eyes.

"Not today, Peter," Emery said before rolling over to smuggle her face into the pillow.

She felt Peter's worried gaze on her, almost heard the wheels turning in his head.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked after a pregnant pause, and Emery turned her head to glance at him from the corner of her eye. He was scratching the back of his head awkwardly, as though he didn't know how to process the situation.

The girl let out another puff of air and muttered, "I'd rather not."

Evidently disappointed with her answer, Peter sat crossed ledged in the air and pouted. He really, truly loathed the kind of situation he was trying to deal with; no matter his attempts to make his good friend laugh again, she always seemed unable to appreciate them and kept mulling over –what he thought were– trivial things. Not that she had that many breakdowns, but they were enough to make the boy go crazy.

"Em, come on," he whined. "Whatever that has happened surely isn't worth the fuss."

When he didn't receive an answer, he huffed in aggravation and flew out of the room. Truth be told, Emery felt bad for the boy; she knew he was trying his best to make her feel better, but the events of that same morning had affected her more than she would ever admit.

"Emery."

She rolled on her back to give Peter a look of irritation.

"I thought you had fled," she said, emotionless, to which the boy could only roll his eyes.

"I should, really. But I can't stand seeing you like this," he confessed and crossed his arms over his chest again. "So I went to Neverland to get something to cheer you up."

At that, Emery sat up. Curiosity shinning in her eyes, she waited patiently for her friend to continue talking. Instead, Peter floated towards her and offered his hand for her to take. For a second, she hesitated. But, as the boy urged her to move from the bed, she obliged and let him walk her to the open window.

"What exactly have you planned to _cheer me up_?" she asked, putting emphasis on the last words as she gave him a wary stare.

Peter landed on the railing of the window and pulled a small vial out of his pocket.

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do," she replied automatically, yet her eyes observed the peculiar item in suspicion. "But I don't trust that."

An amused laugh left his mouth, before Peter shook his head and opened the vial.

"This is pixie dust, dumbass."

The reaction was immediate: her mouth opened in disbelief before forming the happiest smile he had ever seen. Smirking in triumph, the boy let the green dust fell upon her frame and smiled proudly.

"Follow me!" he shouted as he flew away from her, heading the sky.

And follow him she did, up to the white clouds and down to the beautiful garden that spread across the back side of the castle. A big grin illuminated her face, and for the moment, she found herself not caring about the incident with Snow White; she merely flew behind her best friend, watching everything like she was seeing it for the first time.

"Where did you get the pixie dust from?" she queried when they finally sat on the roof of a bower in the gardens.

Peter looked away.

"Tinkerbell gave it to me."

"Did she, now?" she insisted, and it was quite evident she wasn't buying it.

"I might have stolen it," Peter admitted, embarrassed, but smiled as Emery laughed.

"Just like you stole this."

The boy watched in silence while she touched the odd band around her wrist. It was green as his clothes, made of strong leaves and –most likely– magic.

"I made that myself," he spoke quietly.

Seeing how her joke had saddened him, Emery ruffled his brownish hair with affection and smiled.

"I know that, Peter. Thank you," she said sincerely.

A barely noticeable blush crept up to his cheeks, and he was about to say something when the girl hushed him. She was looking at something that stood some meters away from where they were, and as he followed her gaze, he found himself staring at two of the people he loathed most. Peter Pan could count all the times Prince Charming had come into her room to close the window, knowingly keeping the boy out. They both knew of his existence, as he had been seen every once and then flying out of Emery's room; they were not happy with the fact she spent time with him, and Peter knew the reason why. Some years back, they had been warned by Rumpelstiltskin that Emery would be torn between light and darkness by someone close to her; it was easier to blame Peter Pan than to look more into it. From where he stood, Snow White and his prince had affected her more negatively than he had ever had.

The couple was approaching them, so Peter quickly grabbed her hand and started to move when Emery stopped him.

"Wait, let's just go to the other side of the roof and hide there," she spoke lowly, her gaze fixed on them, before she led the boy away.

Soon enough, the smooth voice of Snow White was within earshot.

"You were right, Charming; but I could not bring myself to believe it," she was saying. "We should have protected her from that boy."

Next to her, Peter tensed. It didn't take a bright mind to realize they were talking about Emery, who kept listening carefully and not moving a finger.

"You did your best; we all did," Charming soothed. "What matters now is what we do about it."

"Should we ask Rumpelstiltskin to take her magic away?"

Charming seemed to mull her idea over.

"He's not to be messed with," he finally said. "He would ask for something in return, and I am certain I don't want to make more deals with that sorcerer."

"Then, what do you suggest we do? We can't just sit tight and wait for her to turn into _something_ like Regina!" Snow exclaimed, on the verge of a panic attack.

Swiftly, Charming placed his hands on her shoulders.

"We will sort this out, Snow," he promised. "That fairy will be able to fix this, somehow."

Snow scoffed, "Tinkerbell has done enough. I don't think she will cooperate this time."

"Erasing her memories of this morning –even those of that boy– is our only chance to keep our kingdom safe!" Charming insisted.

Emery didn't want to hear anything else; her mind was a mess as she tried to comprehend what she had just witnessed. Thus, she flew away from them, from the gardens, from everything. She ignored Peter's shouts and kept on, not caring if she ran out of pixie dust and crashed into a tree.

However, as she was nearing the woods, something collided with her, causing her to land painfully on the cold grass. Shocked, she glanced up –into the angry eyes of Peter Pan.

"You must be an idiot if you think you can outfly me."

Emery didn't bother to stand up; she leaned back on the thick trunk of a tree and looked at her hands.

"Are you alright?" Peter asked, dropping next to her and looking at her in worry.

"I would be if you stopped giving me that look," she snapped. "I am not to be pitied."

Peter frowned.

"I don't pity you; I pitied you when you had to attend those absurd balls," he joked and beamed when she stifled a chuckle.

"I pitied myself back then, too."

"But, really, are you alright?" he repeated, to which she shrugged carelessly.

"Peachy."

"Em–"

"Seriously, I'm fine," she cut in. "I'm not sad, or anything of the sort. I guess I was truly looking for a way to run from all this; I don't belong."

Peter hummed in understanding, processing her words carefully, before he asked, "And where do you?"

"I don't know yet," she replied truthfully, then added, "Hopefully, I will someday."

Silence fell upon them for some minutes, and she allowed the peaceful atmosphere to calm her mind.

"I'm going back to the castle," she repentantly announced, catching the boy off guard. "There is something I need to do before deciding my next move."

-#-

Big, strong rocks sat one after another, forming the long corridors of the dudgeons. That part of the castle was cold and dark, only occasionally illuminated by the tiny torched that hung from the unstable walls. She strolled down the intricate passages, knowing exactly where she was heading. Back when she had been nothing but a curious child, she had always loved to play hide and seek down there with Peter Pan. Needless to say, neither Snow nor Charming had ever been fond of such _crazy_ ideas –as they liked to refer to them as. After having overheard their conversation some minutes ago, Emery had finally realized the problem had never been that, but Peter himself. At the thought of them trying so many times to make her stay away from the boy, she gritted her teeth.

She had been honest when she'd said she wasn't sad.

No, she wasn't upset.

She was angry; beyond livid.

And she didn't care about right or wrong anymore; from that moment on, she decided to start worrying only about her own wellbeing.

One cell stood at the end of the wide corridor, the biggest of all. Two guards patrolled it, and no soul dared to speak a word in fear of the danger it could raise. One of them halted her when she was about to take a step towards the cell–towards what hid inside.

"You are not supposed to be here," he stated stoically.

Emery smiled innocently.

"I won't be long," she assured, but the guard refused to let her through. Rolling her eyes, she muttered something under her breath, before her hand flew into the man's chest and ripped his heart out.

As the dead guard fell to the ground, his comrade began to approach her, sword wielded. However, before he had the chance to attack, delighted giggles erupted from the inside of the dark cell.

 _Crack_.

The man dropped dead within seconds.

"I see you've been practising." The laugh echoed in the passage once again, then the same amused voice spoke, "Come forth, dearie."

Glancing at the bodies at her feet momentarily, Emery shook her head to clear her thoughts and headed the prisoner. The golden face of the sorcerer greeted her, his sickening grin wide enough for her to see his dirty teeth.

"Yes, there is something different in you," he observed and giggled maniacally. "But as much as I'd love to know about your affairs, I am certain you haven't decided to drop by to talk about trivialities."

"I've just found about your whereabouts, to be honest."

Rumpelstiltskin hummed and waved a skinny hand in the air.

"An unfortunate incident brought me here, which lacks of importance at this very moment." The sorcerer stared at her with hard eyes, seemingly pondering something in his tricky mind, then grinned, "The question is: what is your purpose in this _lovely_ place?"

"I want to make a deal," Emery stated, but he merely laughed mockingly.

"Deals, deals, deals; everything involves a deal," he sang in amusement. "Be more specific, dearie."

Her eyes narrowed in annoyance as the sorcerer taunted her, yet she didn't comment on it and searched for the proper words instead, for she was aware –as she had met the tricky _being_ many times before– he had an irritating passion to twist their meaning for his own benefit.

"As I'm certain you know, a fairy stole part of my memories from me when I was younger," she began, and ignored the ache at the remembrance of her friend's betrayal as she continued, "I want them back."

Rumpelstiltskin touched his chin with one long finger, hummed thoughtfully and smiled _sweetly_.

"No can do, I'm afraid."

"What?" Emery exclaimed, baffled.

He observed her for some more seconds, before explaining, "Memory spells are something very complex, dearie, and can only be broken by a powerful magic." His eyes seemed to laugh at her when he said, "True love's kiss."

At that, she could not help but snort in amusement. However, when the sorcerer kept staring at her with the same expression, she sobered up.

"You're not joking," the girl realized, and incredulity spread on her face as she threw her arms up. "That's the most absurd thing I have ever heard, which means a lot considering I'm friends with Peter Pan."

Something in the way she spoke – or maybe it was the words themselves – seemed to catch his interest, for he repentantly stepped forward until he was in front of her –only the wooden bars stood in his way.

"I might be able to do something, however. You will bring that fairy of yours to me, and I will do the rest." His lips turned upward in yet another sickening grin. "That is, if you are still willing to make the deal."

Without hesitation, Emery turned around and began to walk away.

 _I most definitely am._

And, as the girl parted in search of Tinkerbell, a satisfied Rumpelstiltskin stepped back into the shadows of the cell –grin always on.


	5. A Scratch of Darkness

CHAPTER FOUR:

A Scratch of Darkness

 _"I ignored the beat inside my heart for too long,_

 _and accepted what was right but always felt wrong."_

Rumpelstiltskin giggled in delight at the sight of the girl, and smirked wickedly at the sight of the unconscious fairy lying on her hand.

"My, my." He clapped his hands together while staring at the small being, then looked up to face the blank expression on his apprentice's features. "Aren't you full of surprises?"

He reached out to get a hold of Tinkerbell, but Emery took a step back, causing his gaze to narrow dangerously for a brief moment. But her determination didn't waver, and she regarded the Dark One with guarded eyes.

"She is _not_ to be harmed in any way," she spoke, slow yet firmly. "If I –"

"You shouldn't be threatening those who are willing to make deals with you," he interrupted, his voice lower and freezing her to the core. "Do not forget who you're talking to, dearie."

And he smiled that wicked, sickening grin. She pressed her lips into a thin line, swallowed the lump that had suddenly formed in her throat and tried to remain calm.

"She is not to be harmed," Emery repeated, aware of the dangerous turn the situation could take if she messed up and the sorcerer grew irritated. "Now, we have yet to speak about your terms – what do you want in return?"

Rumpelstiltskin seemed to be pondering something in that tricky mind of his before humming in appreciation.

 _You are an interesting being, Emery Red; I can see why you're involved in so many stories._

"I want something valuable, of course," he voiced, and his eyes seemed to glow in that dark cell. "And before you say 'I have no gold' or something along the lines, let me tell you that," he inched forward and smiled knowingly, "not all that glitters is gold."

His eyes cast down briefly, as though hinting something, then shot up to her appalled expression. As realization washed over her, the corner of his lips tugged up into his signature grin.

"This is not valuable at all," Emery muttered with a frown as she looked down at her wrist.

"Ah, but that's not entirely too, is it?" he – _tried_ to– stifle a giggle and waved his hands in front of him. "So long as it holds affection, it becomes priceless. And gifts are made out of endearment."

"It's important to me," she admitted, almost to herself.

"My point exactly, dearie!" he exclaimed, then sobered up. "Now, you just have to ask yourself which matters most, a look into your past or a… well – a _wristband."_ He pulled a face that clearly expressed his opinion on the issue, yet it was soon replaced by a satisfied look as the girl gave in.

-#- Some years ago -#-

 _"You're like a witch, then?"_

 _The question caused her to let an amused laugh, and she quickly shook her head. Currently, both friends were sitting under the willow tree, enjoying a moment of peace after another visit to the mermaids. To Peter, those creatures were the most annoying ones he had met in Neverland; always giggling in confidence and teasing maliciously with their strident voices. Thus why, he had been so surprised to see Emery laughing along with them, almost as if she were one of them. Not only did she seem to enjoy their company, but mermaids had looked greatly pleased upon her arrival; their disappointed expressions had also been evident when they had realized there was no evil plan for them to play part in, though._

 _"More like a magician," she corrected. "There are lots of things to do here, because magic drips from every leaf, every fallen branch. All you need to do is freeing your imagination."_

 _"You used magic on me to make me fly," he reminded, but there was no trace of hostility or bitterness in his voice._

 _"It's my most charming talent," she joked with a playful wink. "How was it?"_

 _Peter thought for a moment before replying._

 _"It was blissful," he confessed, and an embarrassing blush covered his cheeks. "It felt as if happiness grew on its own accord in my chest." His forest green eyes fell upon Emery's smiling face. "How did you do it?"_

 _But, much to his dismay, the girl simply gave a casual shrug and commented, "If I told you, it'd take all the fun of guessing it out for you."_

 _Peter groaned in frustration._

 _"I just wish I could blackmail you sometimes."_

 _All of sudden, a basket of red berries appeared out of nowhere and landed on his hands. Completely taken by surprise, Peter could only stare at the item with wide eyes as he tried to comprehend what had just happened. And, beside him, Emery sat in silence, her stunned gaze fixed on the red fruits._

 _"You used Neverland's magic," she whispered so lowly Peter almost didn't hear her._

 _"Did I reall–what's wrong with you?"_

 _Her eyes were wide and her mouth slightly agape as she stared at the berries in excitement, Peter Pan completely forgotten, and so the rest of the world. Her dazed expression was enough to make the boy grow wary, but before he could stand and move away from her, Emery jumped on the basket of enticing fruits._

 _Some feet above from where they were, Tinkerbell sat with a thoughtful expression plastered on her hard features. Her green eyes observed the children as they rolled over the green grass, both of them laughing hysterically. In the beginning, Peter was merely trying to get as far from the girl as possible but had ended up teasing her with the basket of fruits, prey to amusement as he watched the useless attempts of the short girl to get a hold of it._

-#- Present time -#-

His eyes darted around, touching every tree and every inch of land, and he sighed. It sure felt lonely to be in Neverland at that time, when the children that had been playing around with him for hours had finally gone back to their respective lives. Now, the moon glowed splendorous up in the night sky, the cold breeze blew ever so softly between the leaves of the trees, and a deafening silence surrounded the island.

Peter Pan gave a whine before rolling on his back and standing up. His feet landed on the sand soundlessly, and he scanned the wild sea in search of approaching pirates whom he would spend the night messing around with. Unfortunately, no lights shone on the horizon – he huffed.

Then, Peter grinned enthusiastically.

"And where do you think you're flying off to?" the stern voice of Tinkerbell stopped him as he was about to – well – fly off.

Turning on his heels, the boy gave her an expectant look.

"To see Em," he replied with a 'duh' tone, which awarded him a flick on his forehead. "Ow, what was that for?!" he demanded to know, a glare directed to the fairy.

"You must _not_ visit Emery," she voiced, her features hard yet troubled.

The unexpected words caught Peter off guard, and he couldn't help but become wary.

"And why is that?"

Tinkerbell sighed, and it was then when Peter Pan really saw the exhaustion in the fairy's eyes. Dark badges decorated the skin under them, she was paler than usual, and her blonde hair stuck to her face due to the sweat.

"What's going on?" he asked, more urgently this time, and his agitation increased when she looked away, like she was ashamed.

"She found out… about us keeping her in the dark," Tink revealed.

She had barely time to step away from the boy when he snapped.

"Us?!" he growled, angry. "As I recall, it was _you_ who took her memories away and dropped her like a sack of potatoes in another land. And it was also _you_ who decided it was best for her to spend time with her, even though she didn't know who we were," he gritted his teeth and closed his eyes tightly. "That was a mistake, and _this_ was bound to happen sooner or later."

Tink pursed her lips into a frown and glared at him.

"Nonsense."

"What?" he was baffled.

"You wouldn't have been able to stay away, either way," she explained, but the statement seemed to anger Peter even more. "Let me remind you, you are linked to Neverland. No, that's not completely true. You are Neverland, the both of you. Which means, this place needs you two to survive. That fact connects you to one another; but whether that's good or not… I'm not certain yet."

A sardonic smirk touched his lips.

"Should have thought about that when you took her away." He narrowed his eyes again. "But that's not going to happen, not ever again. From now on, you're not allowed to leave this island. In fact, no one is. And if you try, I will know. Because the _shadow_ will be watching over you while I'm gone."

"You can't do that!" the fairy gasped, alarmed, but the boy grinned wickedly.

"Oh, but I can. I can control Neverland," he stated, and added, "I am Neverland, after all."

"And you plan on visiting her now? Think about it, Peter; she–"

"Don't," he snapped, already fed up. "You don't get it, do you? You adults are always thinking about what's best for us, but you never stop to think what actually is that we want. Emery has been betrayed by enough people, and she doesn't deserve any of the pain that has been sent her way. She just doesn't."

Tinkerbell remained silent for some seconds, merely observing the flying boy with a thoughtful stare.

"You really think you will be able to reach out to her, don't you?" The words fell from her lips in a barely audible whisper.

"If I can't–" he furrowed his brows, as if the possibility was hard for him to believe, "at least I'll be able to say I tried."

Frowning, the fairy watched Peter Pan fly away, his silhouette fading quickly into the dark horizon. After some seconds of staring straight ahead, she gave out a sigh and turned around to step into the depth of the forest.

Eventually, she found herself replaying her last meeting with Emery, the girl she so deeply had cared about for long years – she knew things would never be the same between them, yet was certain that devotion would always remain inside of her small being. Her fingers traced the outline of her jaw, where Emery had punched her soon after the fairy had woken up.

 _"I never doubted you, not even once."_

Her words had cut deep; they had created significant wounds in her heart Tinkerbell doubted would ever heal, much less disappear.

 _"If I ever see you again, I will kill you."_

 _Those eyes_ , Tinkerbell shuddered at the remembrance. They had been so cold, so empty; like two pools of spreading darkness. Terrifying would be an accurate definition of what she'd thought upon seeing the –once innocent-looking– girl standing in the middle of her recently destroyed room. However, Tinkerbell soon realized that Emery had never been naïve, not even close to childlike. Back in her time in Neverland, Emery had always been known for her tricky intentions and wild behaviour, so unexpected that it had gotten many children – if not killed – severely injured. Not even then had she been harmless, if only to impose herself.

Tinkerbell stopped by a thick tree, one whose trunk worked as a stairway to a small house hidden in its leaves. _Home_ , she thought with a slight frown, before her feet started to drag her up the steps.

Nevertheless, not even in the comfy dwelling in which she slowly began to drift off did she feel safe. Neverland did not feel the same anymore, and the fairy feared that grey night was only the beginning of a new age of chaos and darkness.

 _Just like it was predicted_.


End file.
